Brig

The Jackdaw, a brig

The brig is a class of ship bearing two square-rigged masts. It was operated by, among others, the British, Spanish and Portuguese navies throughout the Age of Sail.

History

During the early 18th century, the brig represented a compromise between the more powerful classes of ship, such as the frigate and Man O' War, and the faster, but less well-armed schooner and gunboat. A brig bore two masts and was capable of fielding, on average, twenty-four guns over a single gun deck and the main deck; on top of this, they were commonly fitted with a naval ram.

In battle, brigs typically alternated between delivering broadsides and ramming. They could move faster than most ships but could be easily checked by fire barrels.ielding, on average, twenty-four guns over a single gun deck and the main deck; on top of this, they were commonly fitted with a naval ram.

One notable brig in operation during this time was the Jackdaw, owned by the pirate and eventual Assassin Edward Kenway. The Jackdaw was unique in that it was significantly more well-armed and armored than others of its class, fielding armaments on par with a Man O' War.

The Aquila

Another notable brig was the Aquila, captained by Edward's grandson, the Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton. The Aquila was the one-time flagship of the Colonial Brotherhood's fleet, but after decades at sea, her damaged shell was left to erode and decay in the bay at the Davenport Homestead. During the American Revolution, she was rebuilt and participated in many naval engagements on the East Coast and in the Caribbean.

Notable brigs

• Aquila
• Experto Crede
• Hercules
• Jackdaw
• Jacobite
• Ranger
• Vautour
• Victoire

Legendary ships

• L'Amazone

Trivia

• When incapacitating a brig, the rudder (the rear of the ship used for steering) simply disappears rather than fall when it was being demasted unlike frigates or Men O' War.
• In reality, ships during the Age of Sail were not equipped with rams, since ramming with a sailing ship is dangerous as the ship can not reverse like a trireme, a ship powered largely by oars.

Gallery

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Appearances

• Assassin's Creed III (first appearance)
  • The Tyranny of King Washington
• Assassin's Creed: Forsaken
• Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • Freedom Cry
• Assassin's Creed: Black Flag
• Assassin's Creed: Pirates
• Assassin's Creed: Rogue